Review granted on HSE decision to end autistic man’s placement

HSE and Tusla will facilitate the man’s return from the UK for assessment with a view to drawing up an after care plan

The parents of a severely autistic young man, who has been in care in the United Kingdom by order of the High Court since 2013, have been granted leave to seek a judicial review of the Health Service Executive's ending of his placement "without an adequate aftercare plan".

Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon granted John Rogers SC, for the parents, leave for the review at the High Court and requested that the HSE “negotiate a situation where residential therapeutic care will be afforded” to the man, now aged 19, “for the next two months”.

Funding for the placement had been due to end yesterday. The court heard a HSE social worker had travelled to the UK yesterday to bring the man back to Ireland. When he did not leave with him, the court heard the HSE worker left information for him on homeless services in the UK.

Ms Justice O’Hanlon said the HSE and Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, would facilitate the man’s return from time to time over the summer for assessment to draw up an adequate after care plan.

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland

Kitty Holland is Social Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times